The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Celebrate the Solemnity of The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary on this Holy Day of Obligation.

Dec. 7th - Vigil Mass
7:30pm

Dec. 8th:
7:00 am
8:00 am
11:30 am
7:30 pm

From the Pastor:
This Friday is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Our Lady, under this title, is the Patroness of our country. It is also a Holy Day of Obligation.

History of this Feast Day
A feast called the Conception of Mary arose in the Eastern Church in the seventh century. It came to the West in the eighth century. In the 11th century it received its present name, the Immaculate Conception. In the 18th century it became a feast of the universal Church. And in the United States it is one of the highest feasts in the Church, a solemnity and holy day of obligation, since our Lady is the patron of our country under the title of the Immaculate Conception.

In 1854 Pope Pius IX gave the infallible statement: "The most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first instant of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege granted by almighty God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the savior of the human race, was preserved free from all stain of original sin.”

Mary’s Immaculate Conception enhances Jesus’ redemption work. Other members of the human race are cleansed from original sin after birth through baptism. But in Mary, Jesus’ redemptive merits were applied to her before she was conceived, and before Jesus performed them here on earth. God applied the salvation of Jesus onto Mary and thus prevented her from original (and actual sin all throughout her life) from the outset of her life in the womb of her mother St. Anne. Mary was conceived without Original Sin and never knew sin all throughout her life.

In St. Luke’s Gospel the angel Gabriel, speaking on God’s behalf, addresses Mary as, full of grace (Oh Highly Favored One). In the angel’s greeting we realize that Mary received all the special divine help necessary for the task of her life here on earth and in her everlasting life in heaven.

The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception was so prevalent at the time of our nation’s founding that in 1846 the bishops of the United States made the Immaculate Conception the patronal feast of the Church in this country. The apparitions at Lourdes of our Blessed Mother to St. Bernadette in 1858 confirmed both the U.S. bishop’s decision in 1846 and the Holy Father’s infallible declaration in 1854. As Mary told St. Bernadette, “I am the Immaculate Conception.”

Finally we hear the words of St. Anselm as he places Mary at the very summit of all creation, “Lady, full and overflowing with grace, all creation receives new life from your abundance. Virgin, blessed above all creatures, through your blessing all creation is blessed: not only creation from its Creator, but the Creator himself has been blessed by creation.”

Mary conceived without sin, pray for us now, and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Prayer for the Nation
Our Father, you chose Mary as the fairest of your daughters. Holy Spirit, you chose her as your spouse. God the Son, you chose her as your Mother. We put the United States into Mary’s Immaculate hands that she may present the country to you, our God. We thank you for the great resources of this land and for the freedom “which has been its heritage.” Through her intercession grant us and all nations your peace. Inspire our President and all officials of our government to serve us with integrity. Grant us a fruitful economy born of justice and charity. Mary, our Mother and patroness of our Land, we give ourselves to you. Pray that we, always acting according to the divine will, may live and die pleasing in God’s sight, Amen.